Today's Bible Reading: LAMENTATIONS 2:1-4:22
Lamentations 3:31 For the Lord will not cast off forever,
There are times in our lives when we have severe conflicts with others. They at times create such schisms that we don’t see any hope of reconciliation or restoring the ruptured relationship. We feel that the damage done can never be repaired. We feel that we will forever be at odds with those that we have offended. We will always be cast off from any ongoing companionship. It seems that there is no healing the hurt.
As we can feel like this in a human relationship, so we can also experience this same feeling in our relationship with the Lord. Our text speaks of the devastation and despair that had arisen from the people disregarding and dishonoring their Lord. Their progressive rebellion and rejection of Him has brought upon them the full measure of His wrath. The weight of His hand was heavy upon them. They had been given multiple opportunities to mend their ways and return to Him, but they failed to turn back to Him. Now there was no escape for the execution of God’s judgement upon them. They all felt like the one who said “my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.” The felt forever cast off from their Lord.
But it is in our hurt and helplessness that we still can find hope. No matter how dark our days or how despairing our nights, there is always a glimmer of hope that remains. In the midst of his bewilderment, the writer remembers. He says, But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. His hope was not on what he held in his hand, but in the one who held him in his hand. His thoughts turned away from his crisis to the character of the one who could handle his crisis. He focused his attention on the never ceasing love that God had for him. He diverted his mind to the endless mercies of his eternal Lord. He contemplated the great faithfulness of his sovereign. Recounting the character of the Lord revived hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. Their heartache had come about by Him, but hope came from considering Him.
The conclusion was evident. Although they were punished for their sin, they would never be permanently pushed away because of their sin. God’s judgement demanded justice, but His love manifested mercy. The writer attests, For the Lord will not cast off forever. His children are never forever cast off. Oh, for a season He might cause grief when He corrects us, but he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; (Lam 3:32). This is what brought hope to them and what will give hope to us. Though we may feel cast off for a time it is not for all time. He will not cast us off forever; His love for us will not let Him. He will revive and restore all who repent and return, this was their hope and this is ours. Let us rejoice in this hope.
Today have hope. We all fall and we all fail. No matter where you currently are in your relationship with Him, take heart. Hope in the one who will never cast you off forever. He will take you back. He loves you and will not let you go. Let that be you hope in your troubled times. Let His compassion cradle you. Let the abundance of His steadfast love embrace you. He will not cast you off forever. Hold Him to His promise and hold that up as you hope in Him.
Comments